Haunting Memories of the Past
by Revenant Dragon
Summary: Before the revolution ended, a young man named Kenshin made a promise to his wife, Tokio, that he would return to her and their son; he did not know she would bear another child afterwards. Kenshin was presumed dead after seven years of disappearance. Tokio believed he was alive even after all this time and when she saw him again, what challenges await them? This is their story.


Disclaimer: I don't own _Rurouni Kenshin_, its plot, or its characters.

Author's Note: This is my first _Rurouni Kenshin_ story. I like the pairing of Kenshin and Tokio and this pairing is my OTP in _Rurouni Kenshin_. I do not know how the pairing is called but I will call it _Token_ (Tokio and Kenshin). Their children Takuya Himura and Reika Himura are products of my imagination. Shiro Takoshi is also a product of my imagination. This is my take after the events in the Kyoto Arc in the anime. Just to be clear, Kenshin and Tokio are Catholics in this story and in all of my future _Rurouni Kenshin _stories; I will tell in an author's note in each of those stories that apply_. _Honorifics, the way Kenshin speaks, sword styles, sword attacks and etc. are based on the Media Blasters English dub of the anime.

There will be times of verbal abuse on Saito's part throughout the story if you don't like that then please don't read those parts you have been warned. Just so you guys and gals know, there will be sexual references. There might be even a lemon in a future chapter so I will tell you guys and gals of my decision in a later chapter in an author's note. Anyways, on with the story!

Chapter 1: The Meeting

The residents of the Kamiya dojo ate breakfast. After breakfast, a young man with red hair tied in a low ponytail and had a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, wearing a magenta gi, a white hakama, and dark brown socks with light brown sandals. He had his sheathed reverse blade sword secured at his cloth belt of his hakama and he was found sitting and sleeping on the front porch of the Kamiya dojo. Kaoru, a young woman with raven blue hair tied with a dark brown hair tie, wore a white gi, blue hakama, white socks and light brown sandals, was at the door and got a letter addressed to the sleeping young man from the letter carrier.

Kaoru went up to the sleeping young man and asked, "Kenshin! Please wake up!" It was then Kenshin woke up and was handed the letter addressed to him. A young boy, who wore a yellow gi, green hakama, white socks and light brown sandals, was puzzled about the letter and asked Kaoru, "So is it from his girlfriend?" Her response was that she slapped him. She was annoyed and yelled, "Yahiko! We're practicing!" Kaoru and Yahiko went back inside to practice sword techniques from the Kamiya Kasshin Style, the sword style that protected the weak.

Kenshin remained silent as he read the letter. He had mixed feelings while he read it. It read:

_Dear Shinta,_

_If you are reading this, then I know without a reasonable doubt that you are alive. I'm going to come see for myself when I arrive at the Kamiya dojo. Some of the Meiji officials told me you died years after you made your promise to me but I didn't believe them. I sent letters to you soon after but didn't receive any replies. I'll explain everything when I arrive._

_Love,_

_Tokio  
_

He thought, "_Tokio? Isn't that Saito's wife? Wait… Tokio is my wife!" _He was confused after he read it. He went to his room to put away the letter and then he heard a woman's voice softly speaking as soon as he returned outside.

"Shinta?"

He looked around towards the sound and saw her standing outside at the front yard. Tokio was wearing a pink kimono with flowers on it and wore sandals. She had her brown hair tied in a bun. Her eyes were a brown color and there was a smile on her face. He smiled back as they walked towards each other and embraced each other. They looked at each other lovingly.

"I love you, Shinta."

"I love you too, Tokio."

They kissed each other long and passionately, wrapping their arms around each other. Afterwards, she laid her head on his chest listening to his steady heartbeat and they held each other close.

"I missed you so much, Shinta."

"I missed you just as much, Tokio."

They stayed like that for a long time until Kaoru spotted them and called out, "Kenshin!" They moved away from each other and stood next to each other. They looked at her, puzzled.

He asked in a confused tone, "Huh? What is it, Miss Kaoru?"

She asked, "Who is she, Kenshin?"

He smiled and gestured at the young woman next to him. "This is Tokio Hajime, wife of Saito."

Kaoru was shocked and confused as she exclaimed, "Saito?! You mean as in that _Saito_?!"

"Yes, Miss Kaoru."

Kaoru looked nervously at Tokio and bowed, saying, "I-I'm sorry, Mrs. Hajime! I'm Kaoru Kamiya."

Tokio bowed as well and reassured her, "It is okay, Miss Kamiya."

"You can call me, Kaoru."

"Very well, Kaoru."

Yahiko went outside to see what kept Kaoru and shouted, "Hey, ugly! Who's that?!"

Kaoru became annoyed and retorted, "My name is not ugly!" She calmed down and introduced their guest, "This is Tokio Hajime, Saito's wife."

He was shocked. "What?! That jerk's wife?!"

Tokio bowed and greeted Yahiko, "Hello."

Yahiko was nervous for some reason and said, "W-well… I'm Yahiko Myojin."

Tokio just smiled and simply said, "It's nice to meet you, Yahiko."

Kaoru asked, "What brings you here, Mrs. Hajime?"

Tokio tried her best to hide her nervousness. "Oh. I've come here to visit Kenshin; Hajime has told me all about you, Yahiko and the rest of your friends."

She was about to resume what she was saying but Kenshin continued for her. "I just met her today."

"Oh. I thought you were Kenshin's… ow!" Yahiko was about to continue his statement when he was elbowed in the stomach by Kaoru who looked annoyed yet again. Yahiko rubbed his stomach and shouted at Kaoru, "That hurt, Kaoru!" Kaoru calmed down and looked as though as she was fed up with Yahiko.

"Sorry about that, Mrs. Hajime. Yahiko can be a bit rude sometimes."

Tokio just laughed a bit and reassured her, "It's quite alright. Please just call me Tokio, if you like."

"Okay. Thank you, Tokio."

"Hey, guys!" A young man with spiky brown hair showed up from the entrance of the dojo wearing a white jacket with bandages around his stomach. Also, he was wearing white pants and black shoes. He was accompanied by a young woman with long black hair wearing red lipstick, a blue kimono, white socks and a pair of one inch high heeled sandals.

Kaoru exclaimed as she looked at them, "Sano! Megumi! Hello!"

Everyone turned their attention towards Sanosuke and Megumi. Sano and Megumi walked towards them. Sano looked puzzled at Tokio and asked, "Who is this?"

Kenshin introduced her, "This is Tokio Hajime, Saito's wife."

Sano and Megumi exclaimed at the same time, "His wife?!"

Tokio gave a gentle smile and stated, "Yes, I'm his wife. He has told me all about Kenshin and everyone else residing in this dojo."

Sano asked Tokio, "Umm… what did he tell you?"

Tokio thought for a bit and continued her statement, "Well, he told me that Kenshin and you helped him defeat Shishio."

Sano sighed and everyone else had sweat dropped except for Tokio, who just looked confused.

Sano explained, "Actually, it was Kenshin who finally defeated him not the Wolf."

Kenshin smiled at Tokio and confirmed his friend's statement, "Yes. It was I who defeated Shishio, that I did."

Tokio smiled back and was happy about that. "Okay. I believe you."

Everyone else except for Tokio and Kenshin seemed to feel awkward at the small exchange between the two. Kaoru broke the silence for a moment to happily say, "Let's go inside, everyone!"

With that, everyone went inside one of the big rooms where everyone sat down to talk.

Kaoru asked, "So, what are you doing here, Tokio?"

Tokio cleared her throat and started to say, "I'm here to visit Kenshin like I said before."

Kaoru asked gently, "How do you know Kenshin?"

Tokio exhaled and wanted to tell them the truth but it didn't seem the right time to say it, clutching onto her kimono. "He and my husband go way back. They were enemies you see during the revolution."

Kenshin was about to place his hand on top of Tokio's but decided not to and stated, "Yes, he and I were enemies during the revolution. We were on opposing sides. He was the captain of the third squad of the Shinsengumi and I was an assassin for the Ishin Shishi."

Yahiko, Sano, Megumi, and Kaoru were amazed at this statement. Yahiko exclaimed, "That's amazing! Tell us more!"

Kaoru was about to slap him like before but decided not to and instead scolded him. "Yahiko, don't be rude!"

"Oops. Sorry about that!"

Kenshin wanted to explain to his friends who Tokio's husband really was but decided not to and continued, "I fought during the revolution since I was fourteen. I…"

He suddenly stopped and solemnly bowed his head, "I'm truly sorry, that I am."

Everyone else was confused and Kaoru asked in concern, "What's the matter, Kenshin?"

Kenshin cleared his throat and continued, "It's nothing. I'm just fine. I hope all of you will understand when I say I know Tokio."

"I guess you made a mistake back there, didn't you?"

"Yes, Miss Kaoru. I meant to say that she and I are good childhood friends."

Kenshin's friends were shocked at that statement then calmed down.

Tokio continued and explained, "Yes, he and I were good childhood friends. We grew up together in the same village. His parents died of cholera when he was very young. He was taken away by slave traders while my parents sent me to live in Kyoto with my uncle and aunt. I didn't see him again until years later."

Sano, Yahiko, Megumi and Kaoru looked at one another and nodded. Kaoru spoke up and reassured them, "I speak for everyone else here and say we do understand."

Yahiko brazenly asked, "So did you two date?"

There was silence when Tokio and Kenshin laughed softly and she explained, "We did at one point but eventually I got married to Hajime."

Sano asked, "When did you meet the Wolf?"

"I met him when he was investigating one of the cases that he was assigned to. It was history as they say after that."

It took awhile for Kenshin's friends to take it all in even more so for Kenshin.

Yahiko broke the awkward silence by thinking out loud, "I really wish you married Kenshin instead." After that, Yahiko panicked and bowed down. "I-I'm really sorry about that. Didn't know what came over me!"

Tokio laughed softly and reassured him, "It's quite alright."

Kaoru asked, "Does Saito know you're here, Tokio?"

"Actually he doesn't. I simply told him that I was going out for a while. I must be getting back soon."

"I will see you to your home, Mrs. Hajime, that I will." Kenshin got up and offered her his hand, smiling at her. She smiled in return, placed her hand in his and they held each other's hand as he helped her up. They looked at each other as though looking into each other's souls. The others gave awkward looks but said nothing until Kaoru spoke.

Kaoru asked Kenshin, "But, Kenshin do you know where that is?"

Kenshin answered without taking his eyes off Tokio. "Mrs. Hajime will show me the way. I will protect her, that I will."

Kaoru started to ask in a worried tone, "Kenshin, what if you…"

Kenshin reassured Kaoru, smiling at her, "I will be fine, Miss Kaoru."

"Okay."

They all went outside to see Kenshin and Tokio off. They waved at them.

Kaoru said happily, "Hope you have a safe trip!"

Tokio waved at them and said jovially, "Thank you, Kaoru."

With that, Kenshin and Tokio went off to Saito's and her home.

* * *

Who or what awaits them when they arrive? I hope you guys and gals put some thought on this couple and enjoyed this first chapter! Please review.


End file.
